Window frame construction



Feb. 21, 1961 EPEREM, 2,972,395

WINDOW FRAME CONSTRUCTION Original Filed. May 20, 1947 a 32 /9 I8 19 I INVENTOR.

\ Edmund Peremzl i 7% fw United States Patent 2,972,395 wnsrnow FRAME CONSTRUCTION Edmund Peremi, Bayside, N.Y., assignor to General Bronze Corporation, Garden City, NY.

Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 749,241,

May- 20, 1947. This application Mar. 23, 1953, Ser- No.'343,825

2"Claims. (Cl. 189-36) This is a continuation of my applicationtfor patent for Window Frame Construction, Serial No. 749,241, filed May 20, 1947, now abandoned.

The invention relates to a window construction, and particularly to the construction of the corner portions of a metallic frame.

ICC 2,912,395

- v Patented Feb. 21, 1961 the sash in a'rectangular form and to prevent it from substantially warping out of a single plane, I have provided a flange which extends longitudinally of the rail 11 and inwardly from the base 14.. I have also provided a flange 16 that extends longitudinally of the rail 11 and inwardly of the base 14, this flange 16 being of lesser width than the flange 15.

One side wall 17 of the horizontal rail has an extension 18 projecting downwardly below the bottom wall 19 of the horizontal rail 10 to form a flange. The extreme edges 20 of the side wall 17 and its flange 18 abut the edge 21 of the flange 15 in such manner as to form a surface-to-surface contact equal to the height of the wall 17 and its flange 18.

The edge 22 of the opposite wall 23 of the horizontal rail 10 abuts the adjacent edge 24 of the flange 16 to form a surface-to-surface contact therewith substantially equal in length to the height of the rail 10.

In constructing window frames, particularly the frames and sashes of extruded metal, such as aluminum, the joining of the corners to form a rigid structure which will retain a rectangular form and will not warp substantially out of a single plane has presented a diflicult probl-em fo'r,

a long time.

.Attemptshave been made to sold r or otherwise Similarly join the members 'of the corner but for various reasons this has not proven satisfactory particularly in window sashes. Attempts have also been made to join to' 'th e longitudinal axisof the rail 10 and, since the adjacent edge 24 of the flange 16, forming the surface-tosurface contact with the edge 22 is substantially parallel the sash rails at the corners by mechanical means but most of these have resulted in corner joints that permit relative movements of the rails after short periods of use and consequently permit the distortion of the sash. r

The present invention creates a mechanical corner which is; constituted by the adjacent ends of the sash or frame rails and a fastener element which so coacts with the complemental portions of the rails that the frame will be maintained in a rectangular form and will substantially resist warping out of the single plane of the frame.

These results are attained by the particular coaction between complemental surfaces of the frame members and of the securing means which maintains those surfaces in proper correlation.

In the drawing I have disclosed a corner of a sash of extruded metal such as aluminum, to illustrate the applicability of my invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the upper rail of a sash corner constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view looking at the edge of the vertical rail.

Figure 3 is an elevational view looking at the front of the corner of a sash.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View on line 6-6 of Figure l.

Describing, now, the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, the upper rail 10 of the window sash is of the tubular or closed form commonly used in extruded metal frames. Such a closed rail is provided with top, bottom and side walls and is, in crosssection, substantially rectangular. It is common to use an open side rail, such as illustrated at 11, which is also of extruded metal and has spaced flanges 12 and 13 and a base 14. 7

In order that the end portions of these thus formed rails may be secured together in a butt joint to maintain to the longitudinal axis of the rail 11, the forcible maintaining of these numerous s'urface-to-surface contacts will maintain the corner of ,the sash in substantially right angular form, or in other words, will prevent one of the rails from rocking in relation to the other in the plane of the sash. However, these surface-to-surface contacts, while they will tend to prevent the meeting ends of the rails from warping 'or moving out of the plane of the sash, will not prevent such movement.

- tact in the form of the invention disclosed in the drawing, being indicated at 27.

Additionally, the lower wall 19 of the horizontal rail 10 extends between the flanges 15 and 16 and its end edge 30 has surface-to-surface contact with the adjacent.

face of the base 14 of the rail 11 as shown in Figure 5. These surface-to-surface contacts when maintained, tend to prevent the rocking of one rail in respect to the other and to prevent warping of the frame out of a single plane when maintained in forcible contact.

In order that all of the surface-to-surface contacts heretofore described, may be forcibly maintained through the medium of a single screw or equivalent device, I have provided a block 31 within the tubular upper rail 10 adjacent its end. This block is securely maintained within the rail by inwardly struck tongues 32 which engage in notches 33 in the block; However the block is permitted to have some freedom of rocking movement especially vertically so that it may adjust itself as need be during the assembly operation. 1

This block 31 is provided with an internally threaded hole 34 to receive a screw or equivalent device 35. The face of the block, at the end adjacent the rail 11, is provided with an aligning recess 36 which is in the nature of a counter-sink concentric with the axis of the hole 34.

The base 14 of the rail 11 is provided with a frustoconical seat 38 having an opening through which the screw 35* extends; and which is of a configuration comside walls with edge faces substantially parallel to each plemental to'that of the head'of the screw. 'Ihe outer 1 face of the seat member 38 is-cornplemental to the face of the counter-sink 36 so that it will fit within the countersink;

When the adjacent ends of the rails 10 and 11'- are assembled into the relationship disclosed inthe drawing there'exists surface-to-suri'ace contact both horizontally and vertically at the numerous positions above referred to. The tightening of the screw 35 draws the block 31 and the seat, member 38 tightly together and since the force appliedis either parallel to or normal to the surfaceto-surface contacts of the edges heretofore described the block and screw will forcibly maintainthese surface-tosurface contacts. Moreover this interengagement and the tightening screw 35 with the block 31 and the forcible engagement of the seat member 38 with the counter-sink 36 will substantially strengthen the base 14 of the rail 11 to prevent its distortion with consequent separation of the edges 'of' the rails 10 and-11.

Furthermore, the provision of the counter-sink and the seat member and the restricted movability ofthe block will insure automatic alignment of the block'with the opening in the seat member and will allow the contacting or surface-to-surface engagements of the edges of the rails properly to adjust themselves as. the screw is tightened.

This arrangement of engaging surfaces at the corners of the sash and the maintaining of the engagement by'the pressure applying means constituted by the screw'and block create an effective mechanical corner joint wherein relative movements of .the rail members are resisted elffectively either within or out of the plane of' thesash.

WhatJI claim is:

1. In a metallic window frame, a corner'construction comprising two rails having their end' portions arranged in abutting and substantially right angular relationship, one of said rails having substantially parallel spaced side walls with end faces substantially parallel to each other, the other of said rails having substantially parallel spaced other and in surface-to-surface contact with said end faces on said one rail, said other rail having a base extending between said walls thereof substantially parallel to said end faces on said one rail, a block mounted between said walls of said one rail against longitudinal movement in respect thereto and for swinging movements in the direction of theplanes:of-thefaces. of said walls of said one rail, said block having a threaded hole therein extending substantially longitudinally of said one rail and normal to said base'of said other rail, said base having anxopening therein forthe reception of a screw, and a screw 'extendingtinto said holein-said block having; adjustable screw threaded engagement therewith and'having 15 a head bearing againsta face of said base, whereby when said screw is tightenedsaidblock will rock on its mounting and said end faces of said one rail and of said edge faces of said other rail tightly will be drawn together in complete, surface-to-surface contact, the end of said block adjacent'said base ofsaid' other rail being providedwith a counter-sink and said base beingprovi'ded with a complemental seat member, whereby upon the tightening of said screw, the counter-sink will tightly be drawn into contact with said seat member, to fix the adjacent end of said blockagainst swinging movement.

2. The combination of elements recited inclaim 1 wherein said counterssink, said seatmember and the adjacent faceofthehead of said screw whichcontacts the face of said seat member are frusto-conical.

References-Cited in thefile otthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS er. i we 

